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Nine minutes to advertise Vietnam at Miss Universe 2008

July 4, 2008

Nine minutes to advertise Vietnam at Miss Universe 2008

17:34′ 04/04/2008 (GMT+7)

Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori

VietNamNet Bridge – Images of Vietnamese landscapes from the north to the south will be shown during the live broadcast of the Miss Universe 2008 pageant on American TV channel NBC. It is estimated that over one billion people will watch the event.

Vo Thanh Trung, representative of the Miss Universe 2008 organising board, said they are waiting for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to approve the content of this 9-minute clip to send to NBC.

“This is a rare opportunity to advertise Vietnam’s images to the world,” said Nguyen Cong Khe, Editor-in-chief of Thanh Nien newspaper, the information sponsor of Miss Universe 2008.

International competitors will go to Vietnam on June 15. In the next 30 days, they will participate in various social and cultural activities such as paying a visit to the Presidential Palace, the Prime Minister’s office, taking part in parades on the roads of Hanoi and Nha Trang city, visiting some social and charity organisations, participating in a fashion show of Vietnamese ao dai and traditional costumes of other nations, and a charity auction of gifts.

At this moment, over 40 girls from 40 countries and territories have registered for the pageant. The list of competitors will be finalised one month before the contest takes place. It is expected that over 80 beauties will participate in the event. Vietnam’s representative will be announced on May 31.

The crown for Miss Universe 2008 will be designed and produced by Vietnam’s Phu Nhuan Jewelry Company, and cost around $250,000. Hoan Vu (Universe) Company, the organiser, has invested $15 million in this competition.

The organisers report that logistic preparations for the pageant are nearly completed. The construction of a media centre of nearly 2,000sq.m in area with modern equipment is finished and equipment is being installed.

The major palace for Miss Universe 2008 pageant on 10,000sq.m at Diamond Bay tourist site in Nha Trang city, named Crown Convention Centre, is under construction, including the major stage for the final round of 1,500sq.m with 7,500 seats. It is scheduled that this $7 million project will be finished on May 30.

The final night of Miss Universe 2008 will take place at 9pm, July 14 in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam.

Over 800 journalists from all over the world will go to Nha Trang city, where the beauty contest is being held, to cover the event.